In Fire and Blood: The 245th Hunger Games
by Mindnight Ink
Summary: The Games have come around again, and every tribute has more to lose than their own life. Who will win? The sociopath from One? The warrior from Two? The determined boy from Four? The life-bound friends from Five? The love-sick girl from Seven? The boy from Nine who simply wants to get by? Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor! (Better summary on my profile)
1. Introducing: Sapphire Verndari

**Hello FanFiction! Here is my newest story, hope you like it! Also, quick note: Please do not be scared off by this tribute. She is the only one of the main tributes who is like this. If you have to, simply skip this chapter and move to the next one. **_**Not all of the characters are crazy sadists.**_** She's mostly here to keep the ball rolling. One of those where you like her as a character, but as a person you hope Godzilla steps on her. **

**Anyway, hope you enjoy the story!**

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**Chapter One: Introducing Sapphire Verndari**

In the luxury district, a girl doesn't sleep the night before the Reaping. For the first time in her life, fear has her in a chokehold and it won't let go.

The Sadist is well known in District One. Elusive, silent, a shadow. The Sadist has been running around for years, and the Peacekeepers still haven't been able to catch them. They're too good. Because of this, training has been regulated. Everyone who comes must sign in and be verified, and anyone who's too excited or crazy is taken in for questioning, but The Sadist is still escaping. Some say The Sadist is actually a demon, who will not stop killing until the district is wiped out. Others say it's one of the victors who wants to go back in the Games, and that's why the Peacekeeper's can't catch them. Other's say it's a Capitol assassin, and all the victims were conspirators against the Capitol and the Games. The truth, nobody knows.

Nobody except a seventeen-year-old girl, who spends the night before the Reaping pacing in her room, filing her fingernails to sharper points than ever, thinking, hoping, fearing.

Fear. It's not something she's well acquainted with.

_ "It's you, isn't it," she remembers him saying. "You're The Sadist."_

_ "Of of course not," she had countered. "I was jumped, and I think it might have been them. I stabbed them and ran. What else was I supposed to do?"_

_ "Did you report it?" he had asked. _

_ She had shaken her head. "No, all the Peacekeepers are asleep."_

_ "Then report it in the morning."_

_ "I will."_

She didn't. She never would, never will.

She knows he turned her in. He tipped them off. _I think I know where The Sadist is,_ he probably said. _She lives in the Middle Section of the District. I think The Sadist is a woman_ He saw clear through her lie. Now the Peacekeepers are much more active in her area. _How unlike him,_ she can't help but think. _And how ironic. The one person I might feel something about is ready to destroy me._

In a million years, no one would expect The Sadist to be a seventeen-year-old girl, who spent the night before the Reaping thinking, planning, hoping. It finally comes to her. But before she makes any final decisions, she dresses in all black and ties her blonde hair up in a bun. She pulls a black hat on over it and ties a thin black silk scarf over the lower part of her face. A shadow, dark and unnoticeable in the dead of night. A shadow, silent as the dark slips out a window and through the tall buildings of District One. A knife is hidden at each hip. A cemetery is being patrolled, and the Peacekeeper has fallen asleep.

The Peacekeeper is woken and subdued by a blow to the head. Large rocks have always been convenient. The Peacekeeper's gun is removed by gloved hands and left at the gate, and the Peacekeeper himself has his hands tied behind him, and the shadow straddles his chest, pinning his shoulders with her knees. "Tell me," the shadow whispers. "Can you handle pain?"

She is the only one who hears his screams. She knows it's sick, she's always known it, but she can't help it. Smokers know smoking is bad, but they do it anyway. The shadow, the seventeen-year-old girl who spent the night before the Reaping killing a man, knows her addiction is sick, but she can't stop it.

At dawn, the whole district knows that The Sadist has struck again. And the seventeen-year-old girl, who spent the night before the Reaping cleaning blood off her clothes and knives, knows what she is going to do to avoid being executed for her crimes, because volunteers in District One aren't rare.

The seventeen-year-old girl, with blonde hair and eyes like the sky on a clear day, is able to get a few hours of sleep before being woken for the Reaping.

"Sapphire, Sapph, wake up."

"I'm tired," she says and rolls over. The boy trying to wake her up pulls the covers off.

"The Reaping's today, you have to get up," the boy says.

"Fine, I'm getting up," Sapphire says. Her older brother, Daze, smiles and leaves the room. Sapphire watches him go and smiles slightly. If she had feelings for anyone, they'd be for him. But she can't feel, and that's what makes her what she is.

The textbook term would be "sociopath," someone antisocial, without a conscience; but Sapphire Verndari doesn't like that word. She prefers "one without sensitivity." She doesn't feel emotions. Really, the closest she feels to anything is when she's torturing someone. That's how The Sadist was born. The sick, twisted adoration of seeing people in excruciating pain. She wouldn't kill them if it weren't for the fact they'd be able to identify her. In fact, for the first few years she left her victims alive, but when one night had ended in her narrowly outrunning Peacekeepers, she decided letting them live wasn't such a great idea, so she started killing them.

But that time might be over now, because of Daze. Lately, Sapphire has noticed an increase in the number of Peacekeepers in her neighborhood. Since the night Daze caught her sneaking in late. Since the night Daze caught her coming home with blood on her clothes. Since the night Daze caught her coming home with a bloody knife.

Since the night Daze accused her of being The Sadist.

Sapphire had repeatedly denied it, telling him she was with her friend Diamond, and it got late, so she had to walk home in the dark. She was jumped on the way home, but that's why she carries a knife, because you can't be too careful anymore, and she had stabbed her attacker. Of course, the whole story is a lie, but Sapphire hopes Daze doesn't figure it out, despite her suspicions.

When she comes downstairs and enters the kitchen, Sapphire can hear the television. The news, probably. The whole district must know by now.

"There you are, Sapphire," her mother says. "I was about to come and get you. Did you hear? There was another attack last night."

"There was?" Sapphire says, pretending to be sad and shocked. Of course, everyone believes this. Sapphire was always quite emotionless, even as a child, and people would often comment on it. A learned behavior one might say, but over time she began to learn how to fake emotions, and appear completely normal. Confusion on ones like love and jealously is simply labeled as "well, those are complicated." A sociopath has to learn how to blend in, and Sapphire is a chameleon.

"The attack was on the Peacekeeper patrolling the graveyard last night. Poor man," her father says. "I'd say I hope he didn't suffer, but…"

_ But of course he suffered_, is what he wants to say. Everyone knows what The Sadist is capable of. Because their victims are, essentially, tortured until they bleed out. Some of them are unrecognizable by the time they're done.

"So sad," Sapphire says. "I hope they catch him soon." Him, because everyone assumes a girl can't overpower a man. Because everyone assumes a girl isn't capable of a display like this.

"It was the night before the Reaping too," Daze says. "Night of a holiday."

Oh, the irony that District One can mourn the deaths of murder victims, but cheer on the murders of twenty-four children, because it's really the same thing, but the latter is worse.

"Well, let's just hope they catch him soon," Sapphire's mother says. "I would hate it if another person around here had to be killed in such a horrible way. When they catch him they better cut him up the way he did everyone else instead of just shooting him in the head."

Sapphire knows that won't happen, because by the time they catch her, she'll be invincible.

"I hope so too," she lies. "He deserves it." She would say this is a lie too, but she does believe it to an extent. She knows it's wrong, but she can't stop. Only death will make her stop.

"Well, eat up everyone. We have to start getting ready soon," Sapphire's mother says and puts the rest of their breakfast on the table. A few eggs and a plate of bacon later, Sapphire heads back upstairs to her room to pick out an outfit. It takes her a while to decide. So many colors to chose from. White is too innocent, too pure. Black is too dark, too cold. Yellow is too perky. Oh god anything but pink…

Finally, a skin-tight, floor length, open-backed, red satin dress catches her attention. She slips it on and smiles at herself in the mirror. _Perfect._

She debates wearing heels, but doesn't want to take the chance of not making it. In District One, it's not uncommon for multiple people to try to get to the stage at the same time. It's become a tradition that the first one there wins. Sapphire slips on a pair of black flats and ties her hair into a bun. Fitting, seeing as how if today goes her way, she'll have twenty three legal torture victims, and so many, many more. Once she's untouchable.

"Are you both ready to go?" Sapphire's mother asks as her two children come downstairs.

"Ready," Sapphire says with a smile. Daze nods, and the family starts their walk to the square.

The square is packed and the check-in line is long, like every year. Sapphire's parents and Daze fade into the crowd, as the three of them are too old to go into the Games. But Sapphire, at the age of seventeen, is still eligible.

The line moves quickly, and Sapphire soon has her blood taken and is sent off to her section, one group away from the stage. Her friend, Diamond, easily finds her.

"Friend." Such a loose term in this situation. Sapphire isn't one for "friends," but she doesn't object to Diamond following her around. She remembers the night, four long years ago, when she was stalking the area for a victim. Someone small, someone weak, since she was small at the time, and could be overpowered by sheer size. When Diamond Faye had come walking by, it seemed like a holiday.

_ Sapphire patrolled the schoolyard, ready, waiting. Her hand rested on the handle of her knife, and she knew someone would be by soon. More than one student had "lost" their books today, and surely one would be by soon to find it. Diamond Faye soon came into the light, and rattled the gates pathetically. She tried climbing them, and when the fall knocked the wind out of her, Sapphire struck._

_ Or, she meant too. She was on the girl, had her pinned down, had the knife at her chest, ready to slice a breast off, but she stopped. The fear in the girl's wide leaf green eyes stopped her dead in her tracks. It may have been the only time in Sapphire's life that she felt sorry for someone._

_ "I'm so sorry," she said, immediately faking surprise. She climbed off of her, sheathed her knife and offered Diamond a hand. "I lost one of my notebooks earlier and came back to look for it. I heard you and thought… well… you can't really be too careful with The Sadist running around, can you?"_

_ Thankfully, not the sharpest tack in the box, Diamond believed her. "Oh of course," she said immediately. "I thought you were The Sadist for a second. I was so scared, I thought I was going to die."_

_ "So did I," Sapphire lied. "Come on, I'll walk you home. Best I can do after scaring you like that. And… hang onto this." She handed Diamond her other knife. "You never know when you'll need to protect yourself."_

Diamond's been following her around ever since.

"Ohmygod Sapphire, did you hear?" Diamond squeals once she finds Sapphire in the crowd.

"About the attack last night?" she asks.

"Yes, it was on a Peacekeeper patrolling the graveyard. Oh, I can only imagine what the poor man went through. I hope they catch that sick bastard soon."

Whoa, Diamond cursed. There's something you don't see every day.

"I hope they catch him too," Sapphire says. "Oh, shhh, I think they're starting."

Of course, a moment later the Capitol escort steps up to the stage, a thousand watt smile planted on her face. Sapphire recognizes her as the woman who escorted Four last year. She must have gotten a promotion. This year, her hair is gold and done in dozens of poufy ringlets, cascading down her back, almost reaching her hips. Her makeup is silver and glittery, almost obnoxious. Sapphire will never understand Capitol fashions. "Welcome, welcome, citizens of District One! My name is Junia Demeter and I'm your new escort." The audience applauds her and her smile grows. "I would like to show you all a video, brought all the way from the Capitol."

Even in One, the video is boring. The Dark Days, the War, the Treaty of Treason. Finally, it ends, and Junia turns back to everyone. "Time to chose this years tributes from District One. Let's chose the gentlemen first."

Sapphire becomes anxious as Junia walks over to the boy's bowl and chooses a slip. It's customary to wait for the escort to ask for volunteers before the crowd explodes, so the Reaping is a few minutes longer than it should be. The boy's name is called, and one for the sixteen-year-olds steps on the stage. When Junia calls for volunteers, at least twenty different boys trample each other to get to the stage first. In the end, the tribute is a bulky eighteen-year-old that Sapphire seems often at the Training Center. Cocky, and obnoxious as hell, he's been on her hit list for a long time. Brutus Wayland.

"And now, for the ladies."

Sapphire doesn't hear the name being called, she just hears her own voice shout "I volunteer."

"Sapphire, what the hell are you doing," Diamond says next to her. "You can't volunteer, you'll never make it."

"I volunteer!" She shouts again, and is soon out of her section and ahead of the other girls. She broke tradition, she didn't wait for Junia to ask, but she doesn't care. All that matters in getting away from the Peacekeepers. Becoming invincible. Sapphire makes it to the stage first, no contest.

"Looks like we have such eager competitors this year!" Junia chirps. "What is your name, sweetie?"

"My name is Sapphire Verndari, and I will win these Games."

"Well, congratulations District One! Here are your tributes, Brutus Wayland and Sapphire Verndari!"

Sapphire's reign of terror has officially left District One, but she hopes to return quite soon, new and improved.

And untouchable.

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**Hello again! So what do you think of my little sadist here? Again, not all the tributes will be like this so please don't be scared away by her. (Maybe it wasn't my best idea to start with her, but I'm going in district order.)**  
**Anyway, if you're reading please review! My heart always skips a beat when I see the number go up! :)**


	2. Introducing: Drusilla Wolfe

**Yey, here's chapter two! Sorry it took so long, I've had a lot going on.**

**Also, thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed so far! Love you all :3 However, I would just like to address one review real quick… (Would have PM'd you but you're a guest…)**

**Dear Guest: Yes, I did read the books. I haven't figured out what exactly I'm going to say happened yet, but the vague explanation is: Peeta died in the 74****th**** Hunger Games, so the twist for the Quell was different (as I assume the twist was what it was because Snow wanted to get rid of Katniss.). Therefore, there was no rebellion, and the Hunger Games continued. Therefore, making this the 245****th**** Hunger Games. (Also… I didn't want to chose a lower number. XD). Sorry that it was a bit confusing! :)**

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**Chapter Two: Introducing Drusilla Wolfe**

In the Capitol's lapdog district, a girl hopes her whole life is just a dream. That she'll wake up in the morning and the Hunger Games will be gone. That her mom will be gone. That her sister will be gone. That her brother will be back.

But she knows this can't be so.

The girl, with jet black hair and big chocolate brown eyes, rises only an hour after the sun. The rest of the house and the rest of the district is silent.

She quickly dresses in gym shorts and a black sports bra. She grabs her gym bag and tosses in a towel, a cold bottle of water and her sparring gloves. She needs to hit something. She slings the bag over her shoulder, leaves the house and sprints to District Two's training Center.

Unfortunately, the Training Center has become like her second home—although she has a second home she prefers much more. She remembers when she used to love this place, when the only thing she had to look forward to was blowing off steam there, and training for her moment of glory. Like her sister did before her, and two of her brothers. Like her little sister will after her. Like her brother will next year. Like her mother wishes she had.

The girl, who prefers to be called Dru, assumes that living in the shadow of your sibling can't be a nice way to grow up. Her aunt won the Hunger Games at age eighteen, and her mother always envied that. She tried to volunteer every year, but never made it to the stage first. Was never in the top ten at the Training Center. Dru's mother was never quite good enough. It almost makes Dru feel sorry for her.

Almost.

When Dru reaches the Training Center doors, nobody is there. But she doesn't care. She slips on one of her gloves and swings at the window. The musical shattering of glass calms her a bit. She gracefully leaps through the window, tosses her bag on the floor with her glove and finds the weapons. Archery is her first stop.

As a child, Dru couldn't shoot if her life depended on it—which it would someday—so she practiced as much as possible. After twelve years of training, her aim is the best in the district. She slings a quiver over her shoulder and notches the first arrow as she picks up a bow. Then she turns sharply and lets it fly at a human shaped target. "That one is for Sabina," she says to herself. Another arrow flies. "That one is for Atticus," she growls. Another arrow. "That one is for everyone who had to die like them." Another. "That one is for scaring Slate so bad he broke his own leg." She fires one more arrow, and it splits the first down the middle. She angrily casts the bow to the side and grits her teeth. "And that one is for Koda," she snarls.

Koda. She was closer to him than any of them, and her mother tore him away from her. That's when the old Dru died, and the new one took her place. The Dru who wanted eternal glory and fame only wanted to keep everyone she cares about away from the Games. Forever.

"I swear I will win. I will make sure nothing like that happens to the rest of us. I'll do it for you."

Dru is snapped out of her speech by the sound of someone clapping. She whirls around and sees a dark-haired boy sitting in the frame of the broken window. Dru breathes a sigh of relief. "You scared me," she says to him.

Lucius Valo, her best friend since age five. Middle-class, so-so opinion on the Games, training partner since age seven, completely hated by her mother, the only person she can really confide into, and her boyfriend of one year.

"Nice speech," Lucius says. "I'm assuming you were talking to Koda?"

Dru nods. "Sometimes I feel like he's still here. Like I can still reach him."

Lucius walks over and gently lays a hand on the Dru's shoulder. "You know it's not your fault, right?"

"I know, but… I feel like I still could have done something."

"There's nothing you could have done. If it weren't for the fact your dad's a victor and everyone's afraid of your mom, then you _know_ someone would have volunteered."

She knows it all too well. That day, three long years ago…

_ "And this year's male tribute from District Two is… Koda Wolfe!"_

_ Dru's heart stopped beating at that exact moment. Koda was chosen, which meant he would be going into the Games. She knew no one could stop it._

_ "That's my boy!" she heard her mother shout from the crowd. "It's a sign, he'll win for sure! You're a winner Koda!"_

_ Before long, the whole district was screaming his name. It took the Peacekeepers almost ten minutes to calm everyone down so the Capitol anthem could play, and so Koda and his partner could be escorted to the Justice Building to say good-bye to their families. She came back without him._

_ Dru remembers seeing boys try to race up to the stage, because they knew their calls wouldn't be heard, and the Peacekeepers kept them back. She knows her mother paid them off, because when her sister died, she inherited all the victor money she had still had. Because sadly, Dru's aunt had died a few years ago, and still had unspent money in her possession. A lot of money, and Dru's mother knows how to use it._

_ Dru remembers watching it all end. She can pinpoint the exact moment her love of the Games stopped—it was the exact moment Koda's heart stopped beating. After that, she swore this gruesome tradition would end, in her family if not the rest._

"They tried to volunteer," Dru tells Lucius. "The Peacekeepers held them back. I know my mom must have paid them. I don't know where she gets all that money… my aunt is dead so the Capitol isn't paying the family any more…"

Lucius shakes his head. "I don't know why. I don't think we'll ever know. But soon, that will be your money, and then you can make her stop."

"You can guarantee I will," Dru says.

"Come on, why don't we go to the cliffs and relax for a while."

"Well… I was going to spar today…" Dru starts. She need to hit something today. Then after sparing she was going to hit the weights. Hopefully the adrenalin and the pain would take her mind off everything for a while.

"Why don't you spar later. Come on." Before she can object, Lucius is pulling Dru back out the window and across the district.

"Lucius!" she calls after him. "Why the Cliffs? You know I can't climb."

"I'll help you," he tells her. Dru smiles when he says that, loving it when he does things like that.

Over by where the miners work, there's a spot untouched by the diggers. Readings showed that there wasn't anything valuable there, so no one ever drilled into it. One side is riddled with handholds and footholds, and it's flat and grassy at the top. An ideal spot for anyone who wants to be alone.

Dru can't climb to save her life, and both of them know it, so she and Lucius go up side-by-side. Lucius shows her where the most secure spots are, and helps her keep her balance when she slips. When there only a couple feet from the top, Lucius tells her to wait and climbs the rest like a squirrel. "Okay, now just hold on to me and don't let go," he says and reaches down. Dru grabs his hands and he pulls her up. Once Dru is close enough, Lucius wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her up, placing her gently on the grass beside him.

"If I have to climb a lot in the arena, then I'm done for," Dru says to him.

"Then don't hope for trees and mountains," Lucius replies.

"What I'm hoping for the most is plains. Plains with small hills. Lot's of wide, open space. Plenty of ways to track and find other tributes. And food. If the arena is a plain, then the Games will be over in a matter of days."

"That's true," Lucius says. "but that's exactly why they don't use those kinds of arenas."

"That's true," Dru says, and after that they lay in silence for a while, watching the sun climb the rest of the way up the horizon, and the citizens of District Two slowly awaken and go about their daily lives. No one comes up to bother them.

Finally, Lucius breaks the silence. "Hey Dru?"

"Yeah?"

"I have something for you," he says. The two sit up and Lucius reaches into his pocket. "I might as well give it to you now, since your mom will figure out a way to keep me out of the Justice Building."

He reveals a shining silver chain with an equally silver wolf charm. Dru holds out her palm and Lucius gently places the piece of jewelry in it.

"It's so pretty," Dru says. "Where did you get it?"

"My sister works at the shop where all the jewelry is sold, so she managed to get me a discount. I was going to give it to you for your birthday, but…"

_ But I might not be here for my next one,_ Dru thinks.

"I know," she says. Then, after a pause, "Want to help me put it on?"

Lucius smiles, takes the necklace from her and she turns around. Lucius slips it around her neck where it sits gently beside her locket.

"I see you still haven't taken that off," Lucius comments.

"I never plan to," she replies. She reaches up and clicks the locket open. Inside is a photo of Koda, only a few months before he was chosen. Dru feels a few tears slip from her eyes and Lucius wipes them away. "Don't cry," he says. "He wouldn't want you to be sad all the time."

"I know, but I can't help it," she says, choking back tears. "He was just a little kid," she says. "Only twelve, and he looked so much younger. And they just ripped him apart. I can still hear him screaming, begging for it to stop." she squeezes her eyes shut, forcing a few tears to slip out, and clutches the locket so tight her knuckles turn white. Lucius slips his arms around her and she buries her face in his shirt. "I miss him so much."

"I know," Lucius says, and holds her close as she cries. Eventually, the tears stop, and Dru is trying to control her breathing. She finally pulls away form Lucius and wipes her face. "When I go in there, I'll destroy District Seven, and use every cent I get and every ounce of influence to lock my mother up forever and keep Slate and Opal out of the Games." She means every words she says, and Lucius knows it. Her goals are set in stone.

"And I'll be here for you when you get out, and we'll be so rich our kids won't have to go in either," Lucius says.

Dru rolls her eyes and playfully punches him in the arm. "Look at you, been my best friend for ten years and my boyfriend for a year and you're already talking about kids."

"Says the girl who already told me she wants a daughter named Juno," Lucius says.

"I _do_ want a daughter named Juno," Dru says. "and a son named Koda."

"I know, and if everything works out we'll have them. And they can be twins, just like you said you wanted," Lucius tells her.

"Yeah," Dru says. Then, after a pause: "I should probably get home. My mom will freak if I'm not ready for the Reaping in time."

"Go then, and I'll see if I can worm my way into the Justice Building later."

Lucius helps Dru down the Cliffs, and they part ways after a quick kiss. Dru grabs her things out of the Training Center on her way home, and is greeted by the smell of frying bacon, eggs and pancakes. At the sound of the door her mother rushes out of the kitchen, moving quickly for someone who's six months pregnant. "Oh, finally, you're home! Where have you been?" she asks.

"I was doing some last minute training," Dru says, dropping her bag on the floor.

"I told you that's where she was," her brother, Slate, yells from across the room.

"Well how was I supposed to know?" their mother says. "She could have been running around with that penniless delinquent." She stops short and turns to Dru. "You weren't with him, were you?"

"Of course not," Dru lies. "I know you don't approve."

"That's bullshit," her younger sister, Opal, says and she skips down the steps. "I know you sneak off to the Cliffs with him. And I found a—"

Before Opal can finish her sentence, Dru has a hand clamped over her mouth and is dragging her back upstairs. Dru pulls her into the younger's room, slams the door and locks it before releasing the blonde-haired demon.

"Don't want to get preggers before the games?" Opal says and kicks the trashcan in the corner. Dru knows what she found, and is ready to strangle her because of it.

"First off, why the hell were you in my room? And second, why did you find that and _touch_ it? You knows what's on it," Dru growls.

"It's not gross enough for you to—" Opal starts.

"_Why were you in my room?!"_ Dru snaps.

"Mom wanted to know if Lucie was over the other night, so I investigated," Opal says with a shrug. Then flashes her trademark smile, looking like something that crawled out of Hell.

_ Maybe I will let her go into the arena,_ Dru thinks, then grabs her sister by the collar of her dress and holds her at eye-level. "Listen to me. If you show that to mom, or do anything to expose Lucius and I to her, then I will make sure you go into the Arena and die in the bloodbath."

Opal pales at this notion, then quickly regains her composure. "Okay, okay, I won't show it to mom. I'll throw it out. Just put me down."

Dru does, and Opal lands a bit unceremoniously. Dru leaves the room and heads back downstairs to grab her duffel. When she brings it to her room, she finds Slate waiting for her.

"So, that's why Lucius was here the other night," he says to her. "Didn't think you had it in you little sis."

"Can it," Dru says and throws a towel at him. "Can we _not_ have the entire family digging into my sex life? I'll be seventeen soon, I'm old enough to make my own choices. Besides, I've known Lucius forever."

"I'm not criticizing, I'm just wondering what mom will say about it," Slate says.

"The same thing she said about your broken leg," Dru counters, pointing at the splinted limb. "Why are you still wearing that thing anyway?"

As he talks, Slate reaches down and scratches his cast. "Mom won't let me take it off, she's afraid I'll re-break it," he tells her.

"You're going to next year though, aren't you?"

Slate doesn't reply.

"I know you did it on purpose," Dru tells him.

"I want to carry on the family tradition."

"You don't want to end up like the others. Like Sabina and Atticus and Koda."

Slate seems to become quite interested in the pattern of Dru's carpet.

"They weren't strong enough," he whispers. "Isn't that what Mom says?"

"And if none of us are strong enough it'll just keep going until giving birth finally kills her," Dru says. "You know I'm going to do my best to win. I'm going to keep you, Opal and the baby out. And when the time comes my kids and your kids and Opal's kids will be kept out of it too. I'll make sure of that."

"That's if you win," Slate says.

"That's if I win," Dru repeats. "Now listen, get out unless you want to see me naked. I have to change."

At that, Slate leaves the room and Dru goes through her dresses. She picks out one of her favorites-which also happens to be the one her mom hates the most. A sparkly blue-green dress with one elbow-length sleeve and a scoop neck. She slips it on and inspects herself in the mirror. The skirt's a little shorter than last time she wore it, only coming to just above her knees. Dru gets and idea and adjusts the skirt so it's even shorter, about halfway up her thighs. She slips on a pair of black platform heels to go with it, since she doesn't have to worry about getting to the stage first. Everyone knows another Wolfe kid is volunteering. One who's top of the training center leader board among the girl's, second among co-ed. She knows the boy above her will be volunteering too, but she's been brushing up on how to beat him. In District Two, the volunteers are generally the top male and female at the training center. Dru has worked for that spot since she was five, and now she's about to make sure the rest of her family won't have to. She examines herself in the mirror again, and decides to slip on a pair of black stockings. Her older sister, Sabina, used to say they make you're legs look longer. If anything, Dru thinks it makes the outfit look better. She runs her fingers through her curly hair, trying to untangle it. She has to look perfect. The Capitol loves a show, and the better the performers, the more chance they have at staying alive. And the show starts once she utters the fateful words.

Dru walks back downstairs, where her family is eating breakfast. Her witch mother, eating bacon like it's going out of style—Dru wonders if that's bad for the baby. Slate, sitting with his injured leg propped up on the chair across from him; and Opal, smiling and eating daintily like the perfect little "angel" she is. Dru's mother looks up when she walks in. "There you are, Dru!" she chirps, then wrinkles her nose at her daughter's outfit. "Dru, why don't you go find something with a longer skirt? And pull your sleeves up, we don't want your ta-ta's popping out, do we?

_ My ta-ta's? Oh my god…_ Dru thinks. "It's fine," she says. "I like this dress." When her mother isn't looking she slips the neckline down another inch. _We'll see if she notices._

"If you go out like that you'll be attracting men. Can't be distracted by boys on your big day. Anyway, I know you're not interested in boys and sex, but some boys can be forceful."

Dru and both her siblings start to giggle at "not interested in boys and sex." Their mother looks confused, but doesn't question it. She wants to believe her daughter's a virgin.

When she stops giggling, Dru says seriously: "Anyone who grabs me because I'm dressed this way isn't worth my time. And we both know anyone dumb enough to try will end up with a broken neck." Or a herniated disc. Dru briefly remembers a day in the training center, abut two years ago during the summer. It was hot, she planned on being there for the weekend, and she didn't feel like dying of heatstroke, so her training outfit consisted of a pair of gym shorts and a sports bra, like it had today. One of the boys took this as "come touch me" and opposed to "it's fucking hot out" and he paid the price for it.

"What if he takes you by surprise?" her mother starts to go on. "What if some boy can't control himself and he tries to take advantage of you? Ta-ta's and short skirts are just begging for trouble."

_ Holy. Fucking. Shit. She expects me to go into the Games and win, but she thinks I can't hold my own if some perverts can't keep his hands to himself because I have legs and shoulders? Really._

"Can we just eat? I'm not really in a talking mood right now," Dru says and starts eating a piece of toast.

"Yes, yes, eat. You'll need your strength for later. But try to avoid the fats and starches. Eggs and fruit will help you drops those couple extra pounds."

It takes all of Dru's self-control to keep from lunging across the table and strangling her.

"So Dru," Opal says. "You excited to start killing? I know I can't wait."

"Not until your sixteen," their mother says. "Sixteen is the prime age for a tribute. That's when you look the nicest and you're the strongest."

_ Now she's talking about how you look, but she still hates my outfit,_ Dru thinks.

Opal and her mother go back and forth for a while, and Dru's mom keeps gushing about how it will be amazing when Dru wins, and repeatedly tells her to change her outfit. It only takes five minutes for her to snap. She slams her hands down on the table so hard some of her juice sloshes out of her cup and onto the table. "Can we _stop?!_" she snaps. "I don't want to hear this. And what if I don't even _want_ to go into the Games? What if I don't? Why are you persistent with this?"

"I just want you to have a good future. Winning the Games means money, and money means happiness," her mother says.

"You mean happiness for you," Dru says darkly. "Or you would have stopped after Sabina died."

"I think you were just to close to The Sheep." The Sheep. Their mother's "nickname" for Koda. _The Black Sheep of the Wolfe family. _"I've told you a hundred times, he was weak, and if he was weak then a few more years of training wouldn't have made a difference. He brought shame to this family."

"_Shame? Shame?!_ You're the one whose shaming us, killing off your children year after year after _year."_

"What's gotten into all of a sudden with this?" her mother asks her. Then her face darkens. "It's that boy, isn't it?"

Dru stands up so fast she knocks her chair back. "Don't you dare bring Lucius into this," she says slowly, darkly.

"I knew it," he mother says. "I've been telling you for years, he's poisoning your mind with his little… ideals. He doesn't come from money either. I told you a thousand times he's no good. You have to stay away from him."

"He's the only one who cares," Dru says. She feels her throat start to tighten and tear burn at her eyes. _No, I won't cry in front of her._

_ "_You mean he's the only one who hates the Games."

Dru snaps. "He was the only one who cared when Koda died!" she shouts. "When Koda died Lucius was the one who comforted me. Where did I go for a week? I stayed at his house, and he helped me. It was him, not you. My _friend_, not my own family."

"You mean your boyfriend," Opal says, her trademark devil smile on her face.

_ "Boyfriend?!"_ their mother snaps.

"Opal stay out of this," Dru growls at her.

"Yeah, her boyfriend," Opal says, not seeming to care about Dru's earlier threat anymore. "They even have sex."

Dru was sincerely hoping her mother would drop dead from a heart attack. "You… you… you… had… with… _him?!"_

"You know what? Yes, I did. I love him, and he loves me. He's the only one in this damned district who cares about me, okay? When I win he's going to be the one sharing that money and that victors house with me, not you. Not _any_ of you."

With that, Dru storms out of the house, unable to stand even the sight of her mother any longer. She's never felt so much hate for anyone.

Her tears start flowing freely when she's about a block from her house, and she's a total mess by the time she reaches her spot.

Her spot, a little cluster of trees around the edge of District Two. One of the only places with trees in the district. She prefers to come here instead of going to the Cliffs. It's more peaceful, more secluded. She found the place by accident after Sabina died, and she's been coming ever since.

When she arrives she collapses on the ground and keeps sobbing. It's becoming too much for her. She hates the Games for taking her family away from her. For making her mother train all her children just so they can go off and die. She hates the constant training, the posture lessons, the appearance lessons, having to be perfect and intimidating and unbeatable and still look like a perfect little angel. She's surprised it didn't crash down on her years ago.

Suddenly, Dru hears footsteps behind her. She wipes her face and spins around. "Who is it?" she calls, mentally cursing her cracking voice.

"Just me," Lucius says. "I had a feeling you'd be here."

"I figured I'd end up here too," Dru says, wiping her face and sitting back down. "It think that's twice today I've cried like this."

"Well, I'm sure a nice little breakfast will cheer you up a little," Lucius says and brings Dru's attention to the picnic basket.

Dru smiles. "Leave it to you to bring breakfast."

"I brought what I could," Lucius says. "It's probably nothing compared to what you would have had at home, but I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will," Dru says and they start setting up. A blanket spread out with an assortment of toasts, some eggs and some jam spread out between them. Lucius takes to slices of toasts and spreads jam on both of them, then hands on to Dru. "Happy Hunger Games," he says.

"And may the odd be _ever_ in your favor," Dru finishes. They toast and eat. It's become a tradition of theirs, since Dru storms out almost every year. Dru thinks it's nice, just being able to spend the morning with Lucius, away from her family.

"So," Lucius says after a pause. "What was the fight about this time?"

"My dress," Dru says. "And… Koda."

Lucius scowls. "Your mother sure knows how to hit a nerve."

"She does," Dru says. "and after that Opal ratted us out."

Lucius shakes his head. "I should have seen this coming. I mean, we've been together for a year. I'm surprised she didn't rat us out sooner."

"I don't just mean the relationship," Dru says.

"That little devil spawn," Lucius growls. "You're mom's going to get a restraining order against me or something."

"And when I come back I can get it removed," Dru says. "And then in a few years we can get married, just like we planned."

"Yeah," Lucius says. As kids, they planned a wedding as a joke, the way little kids do, saying that when they were old enough they'd get married and have kids and a house to themselves. When they got together, the decided to make it happen.

Once more, Lucius breaks the silence. "So, did you fight Amelia the other day?" he asks, even though he already knows the answer.

"Damn right I did," Dru replies.

A few days before the Reaping, District Two's most recent victor, Amelia Glass, decided to fight every person who wanted to volunteer this year. Taking down Amelia Glass was the highpoint of Dru's last weekend. She's the one who left Koda alone for Seven. She's the one who went off without him, _"I'll be back in a few minutes, don't worry."_ Then Seven showed up… okay, sure, Amelia ended up killing the two of them, but that's what you do in the arena. You kill everyone you see, before they can kill you. Dru tried not to growl, thinking about how Amelia just _abandoned_ him, left him for dead… he was just a kid…

"Did you win?"

"Damn right," Dru says. "Only me and that older guy I have a hard time beating. He's going to volunteer, but Amelia's already decided she'll mentor me, not him." _I don't know why,_ she wants to add. _She's the reason my brother's dead. She must remember him, made the name connection…_

The couple talks for a while longer, before Lucius checks the time. "Oh god, the Reaping's going to start soon. We'd better head down to the square."

"You're right, we should," Dru says and the two stand. Dru brushes bits of dirt and grass off her dress while Lucius cleans up the remnants of their picnic. He hides the basket up in one of the trees and they go down to the square together. The place is already packed, and after checking in, it takes Dru several minutes to make her way to the sixteen-year-old girl's section. She ducks under the velvet rope and hovers around the edge. She's never been very friendly with other girls her age. Her only friends other than Lucius are a small group of younger kids she befriended during training one day. They're all so eager and bright-eyed. Dru hopes that if she can't convince them not to volunteer, then she can at least equip them as well as she can, make sure they get out alive.

The Reaping starts. Up on the stage are District Two's most recent victors; the mayor; and the escort, Augusta. Augusta is currently decked out in a dress of bright flower patterns, and Dru swears she can smell the flower-scented perfume from the crowd. Augusta goes on about District Two for a few minutes before playing the Capitol video about the Dark Days, and the Treaty of Treason, and then finally starts to pick the tributes. "And this year's girl tribute is… Starlett Glass!"

Glass? It's so tempting for Dru to let that girl go in, little sister of the girl who let her brother die, but Dru knows there will be hell to pay at home is she doesn't go in. Before the girl can pass her and leave their section, Dru's hand shoots into the air and she shouts: "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"

"Do I hear a volunteer?" Augusta chirps and Dru ducks out of her section. She's center stage and all eyes are on her. _Back straight, head high, shoulders back,_ she thinks to herself. Confident. Strong. Intimidating. Everything a Wolfe should be.

When Dru reaches the sage she gives Augusta and the crowd her best winning smile. "Wonderful!" Augusta chirps. "And what's your name dearie?"

"My name is Drusilla Wolfe, and I am going to win these Games!" Dru says, making herself sound peppy and excited, even pumping her fist in the air. Augusta smiles at her.

"So eager this year! Now, onto the boys!"

Naturally, the volunteer is the other kid who beat Amelia Glass last weekend, Roman Graves. Tall, dark, athletic, been training since age five, he's your typical career boy. He's also two years older and about a half foot taller than Dru. _Well, size isn't everything,_ Dru thinks. _I've kicked his ass in training before. Not often, but it's happened._

The pair shake hands, and Roman does something Dru doesn't expect. As the Capitol anthem starts to play and they turn to face the crowd he doesn't let go of her hand, as is custom. Instead he grips it tighter and rises them both into the air. Dru doesn't try to pull her hand back down. She smiles even more for the audience. "District Two united?" she stage-whispers to Roman over the music.

"Yep," he replies, probably taking a few tips form his uncle, a victor from twelve years ago, and got most of his popularity because he and his partner pretended to be in love and refused to leave each other. He pretended to be crushed when she died, and the sponsors kept flooding in. Little do they know they never spoke to each other outside the training center before volunteering.

The music dies down, but Roman doesn't release her hand. "Don't get too clingy," Dru says under her breath. "I _do_ have a boyfriend."

"And I have a girlfriend," Roman replies. "But show business isn't real life, and the crowd loves lovers."

"I know," Dru tells him.

Their conversation ends when they're escorted into the Justice Building, to say goodbye to their friends and family. Once more, Dru vows to win at all costs, for her life and the lives of those she cares about.

* * *

**Whew, that took a while to write! Hope you guys like her. Next chapter should be up before too long. Let me think… should be three or four more chapters before we're done with the main character's Reaping's. Once I've done all of them I'll put up a poll to see who's the favorite. (For the record it will probably be the fan favorite who wins. I haven't decided who the victor will be yet.) So anyway, hope you like! Please review and follow/favorite! **


	3. Introducing: River Aberforth

**Hey guys! I'm back! Sorry this took so long, I spent most of my summer sleeping and then school attacked me. :/ Anyway, I've started to fall into a routine again, so hopefully I'll be able to update more :) Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! **

**Quick Note: I wrote most of this chapter today, and I lost my glasses this morning so don't freak out over typos. I did my best. (Polity pointing them out is appreciated though.)**

* * *

**Chapter Three: Introducing River Aberforth**

In the district by the sea a boy wakes in the Training Center. As he stretches and begins to wake up more he can hear the sounds of other kids training. _I knew Laria would stay,_ he thinks. _I wonder if anyone else is here._

Rolling off the bench under a barbell, River Aberforth stands up and looks around. Sure enough, his friend Laria is already training. She was always an early bird, River isn't surprised she got up before he did. She's probably been up since dawn. After throwing the last knife in her belt Laria turns around and sees River walking towards her. "Morning!" she calls out. "Got enough sleep princess?"

"We all need our beauty sleep," River says, then looks over at the target Laria was using. "Girl, you really need to work on your aim. I thought knives were your specialty."

"They are, but it's eight in the morning," she says. "I'm still half asleep."

"Surprised you weren't up three hours ago," River says.

"I was," Laria calls over her shoulder as she goes to retrieve the knives.

River looks around the room. He assumes the other training centers look like it—two stories, weights and weapons on the ground floor, speed/cardio training and sparring on the second floor. Last night he and Laria stayed to train until they fell asleep from exhaustion and plan to train for most of the morning. As eighteen-year-old Careers they need to get as much last-minute training done as possible. Well, River does. Laria turns eighteen the day after the Reaping, so she'll be eligible again next year. River on the other hand, after failing to get to the stage first last year is determined to do it this year.

While he waits for Laria to get her knives, River walks over to the polearms. He pulls a halberd out of the assortment and walks to the center of the room. Pretending he's surrounded by enemies, he starts swinging. A close swing here, a longer one there. A quick step and he's facing the other way, fending off one from behind. Another quick step and he's turned around again, swinging with a powerful downward slice, sure that if there had been a real enemy he would have been sliced in half. After a few minutes he stops, realizing he's being watched—and not by Laria.

"So the fat kid's a dancer now," the person says.

"What do you want, Ren?" River asks.

Ren Arro, River's "rival" since they were little. River believes "bully" is a better term, but "rival" sounds better. A boy his age and half his size, Ren's been picking on River ever since they started training, since River's the "fat kid" at the training center.

"Hey Arro!" another voice shouts. River, Ren and Ren's friends—because apparently Ren can't fight on his own—turn to look, and River finds out Quinn showed up at some point while he was training. _Oh shit,_ is all he can think.

"That's right, you heard me," the voice, Quinn, continues. "why don't you pick on someone your own size. Oh wait, I forgot, no one's that small."

_ Shut up shut up shut up,_ River thinks.

Ren turns long enough to shoot a glare at River and say: "Next time I see you I'm kicking _your_ ass." Then he and his gang stalk over to where Quinn and Laria are. "Want to fight me then?"

"Damn right," River can see Quinn cracking his knuckles.

_ Not here not now not today._

Then the punches start flying.

"Dammit Quinn!" River curses as he runs over to them. By the time he gets to them, Ren, Quinn and one of Ren's buddies are grappling on the floor, and a third is trying to fight Laria, who looks like she's about to fall asleep from boredom. River grabs one of the guys fighting Quinn, yanks him to his feet and shoves him against the wall. "Touch my friend again and we'll find out just how far I can shove a polearm up your ass," he growls, then lets the guy drop to the floor. When he turns around to help the others he sees the guy fighting Laria is out cold and Quinn has Ren pinned on the ground, an arm pulled back for a punch to the face.

"Quinn!" River yells.

"What?" Quinn says, then sees the look on River's face. "Oh come on, just one punch. It's been coming to him for years."

River doesn't even have to say anything. After a moment Quinn sighs dramatically and gets up. "_Fine,_ I'll let him go." He turns to Ren. "Scram, before I change my mind."

Ren scrambles to his feet and backs up a few steps. "You better watch out, fatass," he growls, pointing at River. "You have no right to train here and call yourself a Career. Pathetic fat piece of shit." He spits on the floor and stalks out of the training center.

"He's such a ray of sunshine, isn't he?" Laria says sarcastically.

"One of these day I'm going to end up breaking his neck, I can feel it," Quinn says.

"Oh just leave him alone," River tells him. "It's not like he can actually hurt me. I'm stronger than him and I have a thick skin. Literally," he adds and squeezes his pudgy stomach.

"You're just big-boned," Quinn says.

"It's my body type," River says. "I've told you this before. Hell, we've got all three body types right here." He gestures to the two of them.

"Remind me?" Laria says.

"You're a mesomorph," River says to Laria. "Bodybuilder type. You gain muscle faster than you gain fat. You put on thick, bulky muscle."

"Guess that explains why I bench more than Quinn," she responds.

"Hey!" Quinn says.

"Quinn's an ectomorph," River says, trying to avoid another conflict. "He builds a lot of lean muscle. Track runner type."

"And that's why I run faster than you," Quinn says to Laria.

"Finally, I'm an endomorph," River says. "Which, as I've told you before, means that I gain fat just as quickly as I gain muscle. So, I have a six-pack—I can feel it—it's just covered in a layer of fat that's damn near impossible to get rid of."

"Health hazard, right?" Laria says.

"Yes, the only way for me to lose this extra fat would be to lose way more calories than I take in, which could result in some really bed health conditions. So bottom line—I'm not fat," River says.

"Guys like Ren just don't get it," Laria says. "He'll never understand that you're stronger than him, and your weight has nothing to do with it.

"Well, I'll prove it to him when I win the games this year," River says.

"You're serious about volunteering?" Quinn says. "Good thing I got in last year."

"And yet you still stand here and train with us," Laria says.

"Well I have to train others," he says, then elbows River. "What do you say Riv? I mentor you and then we live as famous bachelors in Victor's Village? You know the girl's will be banging down both our doors."

"I think River wants the boys at his door," Laria says and continues her knife throwing.

_ Not this again,_ River thinks. "I'm not gay, Laria, I'm just flamboyant."

"Says the boy who bought a pink outfit to wear at the training center. Surprised you're not wearing it now. And don't get me started on that suit you wanted to wear to the Reaping. Here's what I thought of that thing." Laria pulls one of the knives from her belt and hurls it at the target. Bull's eye.

River frowns. "I like that suit."

"It's loud," Laria says. "Blue-green pants _and _jacket? With a pale pink undershirt? It's a fashion disaster if I ever saw one." she turns and throw another knife.

"I think it looks nice," River says. He will admit, yes his style is a bit over the top, but he can't help it. He just likes bright colors. River can't stand anything monotone. He'd rather live in a word of bright colors in hundreds of shades than a word in shades of black, white, and grey. That's part of the reason he wants to go to the Capitol—it's so colorful. At least what they show on TV. And he loves being down by the sea, especially at sunrise and sunset. The water sparkling in its hues of blue and grey and green and the sky turning blood red and orange and yellow and purple… it's so beautiful.

"Hey, you daydreaming again?" Quinn says, snapping his long fingers in River's face.

River shakes his head. "Oh, what? Sorry."

"You space out too much," Laria says. "With your luck someone in the arena will sneak up behind you while you're watching the sunset and you won't even notice."

"It'll be different in the arena. I'll know to watch my back," he says.

"Well, let's see if you make it to the stage first," Quinn says. "Maybe I'll bring a little mirror with me and shine it in the crowd's eyes."

"I don't want to win by cheating," River says. "that will defeat the point I'm trying to make."

"Which is?" Laria asks.

"Looks aren't everything, and a fat kid can hold his own just like anyone else."

"You're not letting that go, aren't you?" Quinn asks. River shakes his head. "Thought as much."

That's when Laria throws her last knife. Without looking to see where it hit she spins around to face to boys. "Either of you want to spar today?" she asks. "I'm tired of target practice."

"I actually want to go swimming," Quinn says. "The weather's perfect."

"I wanted to practice with the weapons a bit before heading home. I don't think I have time to spar."

Laria pouts, then runs her fingers through her short black hair and sighs. "Alright, Quinn and I can spar tomorrow then. Good luck at the Reaping," she says.

"Thanks," River says. "Quinn, you coming or are you staying here?"

"I'm going to go down to the beach for a bit. You're welcome to join me."

"I don't want to deal with your fan base," River replies. "They think I'm all over you like they are."

Quinn rolls his eyes. "Let them think what they want, I know I'm not your type."

"Exactly, because you're a guy," River replies.

"Says your crush on Reed Brooks when you were nine," Laria yells from the other room. "I have a million more arguments against your heterosexuality."

"I'm not gay!" River says, exasperated. "Even if I am it's not a bad thing." He clears his throat, and says in his best feminine voice: "And if I was gay you and I could totally talk about clothes and boys and rainbows and glitter and all that mushy stuff."

"Okay, I get it, you're straight," Laria says. "Just very… effeminate."

"_Thank you_," River says, using his normal voice. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. I have to eat and pick out a new outfit, since mine is a 'fashion disaster.'"

"Do you even own normal clothes?" Laria asks.

"I'll borrow something from my sister," River says. In most cases this would be a joke, but in this case it's far from it.

"Are you two even the same size?" Laria asks.

"Her legs are longer but that's about it. Anyway, see you later."

"Later," Quinn and Laria say as River exit's the training center. He jogs home and is greeted by the smell of breakfast. His dad pokes his head out of the kitchen, then calls over his shoulder: "Colette! River's home!" Then, to River: "Hey kid, how's training?"

"Good," River tells him as his mother appears at the kitchen door. "Hi honey," she says. "Breakfast should be ready in about fifteen minutes, why don't you go upstairs and shower real quick?"

"Okay," River says and heads upstairs. He passes his sister, Venus on the way to his room.

Venus—one hundred percent female, but easily mistaken for the opposite. Boy short black hair, boys clothes, and more muscle definition that River could ever hope to have.

"Back already?" she says jokingly.

"Yeah, I didn't want to show up to the Reaping all sweaty and gross."

"Yeah, I figured as much," she says.

"Oh, listen, can I borrow something of yours for the Reaping? I'm pretty sure Laria will kill me if I show up in my suit."

Venus rolls her eyes, but says: "Sure, pick out what you want."

She walks back into her room, River following. Venus pushes open the sliding closet door and gestures for River to browse. This side of her closet is full of suits, dress pants and nice shirts. River goes through them for a few minutes, wrinkling his nose at the lack of color and style. Finally, he takes a pair of black dress pants and a pink button-up shirt. "I guess this will do," he says.

"Don't get them dirty like you did last year," Venus says as he leaves the room.

"I won't," he calls over his shoulder. He crosses the hallway and tosses the shirt and pants on the bed in his room. He quickly showers and dresses, and at the last second decides to throw on an orange tie. _Pink and orange look good when you want to be bold, _he thinks. He combs his shaggy brown hair with his fingers and takes a quick look in the mirror. Smiling to himself he heads downstairs for breakfast. His mom smiles when he enters the dinning room. "Oh perfect timing! I was about to go upstairs and get you," she says. "Your food is getting cold, and we have to leave for the Reaping soon."

River sits down at the table next to his sister and eats a big helping of toast and eggs before the family leaves for the Reaping. River is the only one in his family still of Reaping age, so he waits alone on the line to be checked in and in the eighteen-year-old's section. Eventually, he sees the mayor, the escort, and Quinn along with the other most recent victor walk on stage and begin the Reaping. River is so excited her came hardly contain himself. It seems like an eternity before the mayor finishes his speech, the video plays, and the escort starts picking names.

"Let's start with the ladies, shall we?" There's a pause while she picks a name. River can't hear her say it over the sound of several girls trampling each other to volunteer. Naturally, the ones who made the mistake of wearing heels and flowy dresses go down first. The girl who makes up has dark hair up in a bun and is wearing a black pant suit. _Smart thinking,_ River thinks. _No one can grab onto her hair and she doesn't have to worry as much about tripping._ He immediately labels her a threat.

"Now for the gentlemen," the escort chirps. River waits until she reads the name, and shouts out "I volunteer!" along with the rest of the boys. Having stayed near the edge of his section, River is one of first to get out, and he makes a break for it. When he's a few yards from the stage he feels someone grab the back of his jacket. Without hesitating, he spins around on one foot and aims a kick at shoulder height. He has the satisfaction of seeing blood spurt out of Ren Arro's nose before he finishes his spin, and using his momentum to help speed him the last few yards to the stage. He can't help the grin that spreads across his face when the escort asks his name. _I made it! _he thinks. _I'm going into the Games! _

He shakes hands with his district partner, and is whisked away to the Justice Building after the Anthem. Even through his good-bye's, he can't stop smiling.

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**So there's River! Let me know what you think of him and my writing. :)**

**Quick Note: There should be two more Reaping/Introduction chapters after this one, then all the Pre-Games stuff will start. That should be 5-8 chapters depending on how many training chapters I do, and if I do train rides and/or chariots. If you want to or don't want me to do certain chapters (ex, if you would _much_ rather skip Chariots) then let me know. I'm writing to entertain, not to bore.  
**

**~~~Inky**


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